ARK: Survival Evolved gets an Xbox One Game Preview release date

ARK: Survival Evolved won’t be hitting our consoles properly until June 2016, but ahead of the holidays, you will be able to grab it as part of the Xbox One Game Preview scheme, giving you the chance to tame, train, ride, and breed dinosaurs for the first time in an online survival title.

Studio Wildcard have today announced that December 16th 2015 will see ARK appear as an Xbox One Game Preview, opening the world up to Xbox One players who have been clamoring for the game ever since its record-breaking launch on Steam for PC.

With more than 2.5 million gamers having already battled the harsh elements in ARK: Survival Evolved since the game’s debut on June 2, 2015 on Steam’s Early Access program, ARK for Xbox One should be something of a massive success, especially seeing as there will be nearly three times the amount of gameplay available over the initial PC version. $34.99 will see you with enough to grab it and that will bring an exclusive bionic “Tek” T-Rex, Safari Hat, and Survivor’s Trophy, free access to Xbox-specific ARK official servers, and a steady delivery of exclusive Xbox One content prior to full game launch expected in June 2016.

“ARK is running beautifully on Xbox One, we’re really proud to deliver the first open-world online survival experience on console, a genre that is typically found only in PC games,” said Jesse Rapczak, co-creative director and co-founder, Studio Wildcard. “Steam’s Early Access has given us a strong method to quickly iterate on player feedback, creating a strong relationship with our fans that constantly makes the game more fun. With Microsoft implementing a similar program, we’re able to form a direct connection between console players and our team, the likes of which has never before been possible.”

The most key of features that are contained within the ARK are as follows:

XBOX ONE EXCLUSIVES

All game content currently in the PC build — nearly 3X the amount of gameplay available at its original Steam launch

Exclusive bionic “Tek” T-Rex, Safari Hat, and Survivor’s Trophy

Free access to Xbox-specific ARK official servers

Steady delivery of exclusive Xbox One content prior to full game launch in June 2016

Tailored for Xbox One gamepad controls

TAME, TRAIN, RIDE and BREED DINOSAURS

Command the most amazing creatures from throughout Earth’s biological history, launching into Xbox Game Preview with more than 50 creatures and 100+ planned at full launch. Use cunning strategy and tactics to tame and ride the many dinosaurs and other primeval creatures roaming the dynamic, persistent ecosystems across land, sea, air, and even underground.

CRAFT AND BUILD

Using any means necessary to survive, players will craft weapons, clothes, and items, and build shelters. Plant, harvest, build, level-up, and customize everything visually and functionally, including procedurally-generated RPG statistics for creatures, characters, resources, clothing, gear, and weapons both primitive and modern.

DISCOVER

Explore a massive living ecosystem and find the means to survive, thrive, and maybe escape ARK island.

TEAM UP TO SURVIVE

Start a tribe with hundreds of other players in a large-scale multiplayer online first person environment to survive and dominate competing tribes…and to ultimately discover ARK’s true purpose.

JOIN A TRIBE

The ‘Tribe’ system encourages cooperation, by supporting dynamic parties to share resources, XP, and re-spawn points. Other players are organizing rebel tribes to accumulate resources, experience, re-spawn points, and to construct sprawling villages and cities, with technology spanning the primitive stone-age to the modern electric-powered era and beyond. And they will fight to destroy anything they see as a threat.

We will of course remind you when the time comes to hop on board the ARK!

An Xbox gamer since 2002, I bought the big black box just to play Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee. I have since loved every second of the 360's life and am now just as obsessed with the Xbox One. A massive racing fan, Forza 4 was the daddy of all Xbox titles but Forza Horizon 3 now trumps that. Online first person shooters are my hell....probably because my reactions are so poor, but give me a little Indie title and I'll be in heaven.
Gamertag is neil363, feel free to add me to your list.

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